Before joining Nationwide, Helen held several leadership roles at Travelers in state management and actuarial. Most recently, she led the Midwest state management team, where she developed and executed strategies to restore Property profitability while driving profitable Auto growth. Earlier actuarial roles leveraged her technical and business expertise to develop pricing strategies across multiple products and geographies.

Helen is known for her analytical approach, strategic thinking, and collaborative leadership style. She is committed to developing talent, fostering inclusive teams, and using data‑driven insights to inform business decisions. She is a Fellow of the Casualty Actuarial Society and graduated summa cum laude from the University of Minnesota with a bachelor’s degree in actuarial science and mathematics.

Before joining Nationwide, Chris held leadership roles at Farmers Insurance in both state management and national product management. He led state expansion efforts, optimized pricing strategies, and launched innovative telematics programs that advanced segmentation, claims automation and customer retention.

Chris’s leadership style is strategic, innovative, and collaborative. He values data-driven insights and customer-centric design to transform personal lines insurance. Chris earned his BA in Economics and MBA from UCLA.

Joel earned a BA in social ecology from the University of California, Irvine, and is a recognized expert in Operational Excellence with PMP, Lean, and Agile certifications. He has spoken worldwide, from Los Angeles to Washington DC; Tokyo to Dar es Salaam, for various organizations, including presenting on innovation strategies before a Joint Session of Congress, keynoting the national TLG Conference (alongside Apple Founder Steve Wozniak and ASU President Dr. Michael Crow), and TEDx Budapest, where he presented "The Power of Prizes" to drive innovation breakthroughs.  

Carnes has served on the Los Angeles County CIO's Innovation Team and is currently on the Board of Independent Shakespeare Company, Los Angeles. He has also been a strategy advisor to the American Red Cross, Los Angeles and Area Governor for Toastmasters.

Since joining the company in 1998, Jessica’s career at Nationwide has included leadership roles across multiple Nationwide Financial businesses including Individual Life Insurance, Retirement Solutions, and Annuity; she also served as the Expense Controller within Nationwide Finance. She has led Nationwide’s Institutional Life Insurance business since 2018. 

Jessica is a graduate of The Ohio State University, earning a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. She holds several professional designations, including FINRA Series 6 and 26 licenses; Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU); Fellow, Life Management Institute (FLMI); Fellow, Financial Services Institute (FFSI); Associate, Insurance Regulatory Compliance (AIRC); Associate Customer Service (ACS); and Registered Corporate Coach (RCC). 

She serves on the Board of LifeCare Alliance, an organization focused on identifying and delivering health and nutrition services that meet the evolving needs of the central Ohio community. She previously served on the Board of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Ohio, on Finseca’s Women’s Advisory Board, and as President and Vice President of the LOMA Society of Ohio. 

Previously, Joe served as President of Nationwide Securities, LLC, the firm’s broker-dealer and registered investment adviser. In that role, he led the delivery of investment and advisory solutions through direct-to-consumer and business partner channels. Earlier at Nationwide, he led product lifecycle management for the Investment Management Group and National Accounts for Nationwide Financial.

Before joining Nationwide, Joe held several leadership roles at UBS, including Head of Investment Management Research. He began his career at BBR Partners, a registered investment adviser, and Morgan Stanley.

Joe earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a concentration in finance from Marist University and an MBA from Adelphi University. He holds the Certified Investment Management Analyst^® designation.

Beyond his business responsibilities, he serves as executive sponsor of Nationwide’s Valor Associate Resource Group, which supports military and veteran associates and their families, and the Nationwide Financial Internship Program. Joe also serves on the board for Adaptive Sports Connection and the New Albany (Ohio) football and lacrosse associations. A former collegiate athlete, Joe remains active in coaching youth sports.

Before joining Nationwide, Kush was SVP of Product Development & Innovation at TIAA, where he led new product development, industry-leading innovation, commercial incubation, and governance across all TIAA legal entities. He also directed Product Actuarial, Contract Management, and Contract Transformation, focusing on value-accretive growth.

Kush joined TIAA in 2023 as SVP, Chief Financial Officer of Product and Business Development. In this role, he created a new Business Finance Office to support the business unit president, while implementing the Managing for Value model which establishes discipline in valuing new products and initiatives and ranking strategic capital investments.  

Prior to TIAA, Kush served as VP of U.S. Business Strategy and Initiatives at Prudential Financial Services, where he led strategic value creation, developing a Value of New Business framework, influencing capital allocations and leading Finance and Actuarial transformation. He also served as SVP and Chief Actuary at Obio Financial Services and held senior management positions at Ernst & Young.

Kush holds a bachelor's degree in Mathematics in Actuarial Science from the University of Waterloo, Canada. He is a Fellow of the Society of Actuaries, an American Academy of Actuaries member, and an Associate with the Canadian Institute of Actuaries. He has served on numerous boards, including the American Red Cross of Greater Cincinnati. He currently serves as an advisory board member for the Living Arrangements for the Developmentally Disabled. 

With a focus on delivering innovative sales strategies, Michael fosters collaboration across product, underwriting, actuarial and field teams to achieve exceptional business outcomes. His leadership is instrumental in aligning cross-functional efforts to support long-term success and customer-centric solutions.

Michael brings over 20 years of industry experience, having held senior leadership roles at AmTrust, Chubb, The Hanover Insurance Group and The Hartford. Most recently, he led the MidAmerica Region at AmTrust, driving strong premium growth and portfolio performance. His prior roles at Chubb, The Hanover, and The Hartford highlight his consistent success in advancing profitable growth across diverse markets and agency relationships.

Michael also serves on the Board of Directors for the Tarrant Area Food Bank in Fort Worth, TX, supporting its mission to fight hunger across North Texas.

Michael holds a bachelor’s degree in insurance from The University of North Texas.  

Prior to joining Nationwide in 2024, Michelle held leadership positions spanning customer experience, digital transformation, distribution strategy, and sales during her more than two decades in the financial services and insurance industry. She held roles The Hartford, Unum and most recently Prudential Financial, where she launched and lead their direct-to-consumer business. Previously, she was responsible for developing and implementing Prudential’s first customer experience strategy while serving as the executive sponsor for the company’s customer advocacy strategic pillar.

A graduate of Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, Michelle has a Bachelor of Science degree and numerous industry certifications and licenses. She is a Certified Customer Experience Professional, has the SAFe/Agile certification and holds FINRA Series 6, 26 and 63 licenses.

Widely recognized as a thought leader, Casey has authored an influential white paper, delivered keynote addresses at leading industry conferences and holds two patents in homeowners’ insurance rating. Known for her outcome-driven leadership and genuine care for people, she fosters a culture where performance and purpose go hand in hand, ensuring her team thrives while delivering exceptional experiences for associates, distribution partners and members.

Casey’s career spans leadership roles at Chubb, The Hartford and ACE Group, where she guided digital transformation, distribution strategy and global operations. Her background in business strategy, technology, operations and customer experience—combined with her academic foundation in Cognitive Anthropology and English—fuels her passion for leveraging innovation to solve complex challenges and deliver solutions that put people first. This unique intersection shapes her vision for redefining insurance through smarter solutions and stronger relationships.